The Hoover Vikings came to Tannenhauf Golf Club on Saturday intent on giving Jackson a fight for the girls team title at the Stark County Invitational.

They fought hard, but they couldn’t knock out the champion Polar Bears.

Jackson’s Landrie Grace carded a 75 to edge Hoover’s MacKenzie DiPietro’s 76 and the Polar Bears posted a 315 total to win by seven strokes over the Vikings.

“They’ve improved a lot,” Grace said of Hoover. “They work hard and we work hard. It was a good battle.”

“They had three girls shoot in the 70s today,” Jackson coach Teal Harvey said. “That wins you most tournaments. Unfortunately for Hoover, we have a very deep and talented team as well.”

Harvey needed to look no further than his No. 4 player, Louisa Englehardt, for proof. She came in with a 79, one stroke better than teammate Cassie Pantelas, last year’s medalist.

With Kelsey Schutt just another shot back at 81, it was enough for the Polar Bears to overcome DiPietro’s 76 and 79s by Hoover’s Katie Casey and Gabby Minor.

“Louisa had a 36 in our nine-hole match the other night,” Harvey said. “Having your No. 4 do that is a real luxury.”

“We are two very good teams,” Harvey added. “Hoover is very good. We just happened to be a little better today.”

Having a player the caliber of Grace is a luxury, too.

10TH HOLE THE KEY

The Jackson sophomore used a scrambling birdie on the par-5, 10th hole as her game changer.

“I was near the creek (on the drive),” Grace said. “I got out with a 5-wood, then hit a 9-iron and one-putted. That was my first birdie for the day, and that helped after I had bogeyed the last two holes.”

Her four en route to a 37 on her second nine matched DiPietro’s 37 and gave her the individual title after finishing second to Pantelas last year.

“It feels great,” said Grace. “I knew I had worked hard in the summer and throughout the season. I knew it had to get me somewhere. It was nice to win.”